Implementation Research Core (IRC)

Overview

Current research highlights the major science-to-practice gap of many promising innovations that have emerged from biomedical research because they are either not well-integrated or a good fit with the system context workflows they were developed for. Recent recommendations for next-generation biomedical intervention research call for greater attention to end-user perspectives and user-centered design approaches, grounded in optimizing implementation, to systematically integrate innovations into their intended ecosystems.

Two key priorities in this effort are:

1. Aligning how implementation science frameworks, methods, and measurement approaches are applied across separate studies to enable between-study comparisons.
2. Fostering a deeper understanding of the factors that influence adoption and sustainment of evidence-based practices in different settings.

The Implementation Research Core (IRC) supports building researchers' capacity to integrate implementation science into their areas of research.

Seminars

Fundamentals

The Center offers monthly Fundamentals of Implementation Science seminars with presentations from experts in the field.

In Spring 2026, the IRC hosted a four-part Fundamentals series on applying implementation science Theories, Models, and Frameworks (TMFs) in implementation research. The series included presentations on the following models and frameworks:

• Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR)
• Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS)
• Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM)
• Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM)

Recordings & Slides

Works in Progress

We offer monthly hybrid Works in Progress sessions, which invite an investigator to present an in-progress research project or grant proposal for implementation research design and methods input and discussion with COBRE faculty and session attendees.

Request to Present

Consultations

One-on-One Implementation Science Consultations 

The IRC supports incorporating implementation science methodologies into research and practice.
Consultations are used to help researchers:

• Apply Implementation Science Theories, Models, and Frameworks to promote rigorous research than can accelerate the translations of what works into practice.
• Design and execute impactful research that can be successfully integrated into the intended ecosystems

Request a Consultation

Workshops

The IRC supports COBRE Research Project Leads (RPLs) with professional and expertise development in implementation science through in-depth workshops. Workshop recordings and materials are available via the link below.

Workshops

Expertise

The IRC is a multidisciplinary group with a broad spectrum of expertise, including: 

clinical science	intervention development	digital therapeutics	engineering
epidemiology	medical anthropology	clinical informatics	biomedical data science
community engagement	participatory research	implementation science	human-centered design
qualitative methods	qualitative analysis	quantitative methods	quantitative analysis

 

This range of knowledge supports investigators' growth into multidisciplinary team members and contributes to the critical spectrum of perspectives and skills for training and mentoring in implementation research. IRC faculty have well-established networks of preeminent national and international scholars in implementation science that can be drawn upon to contribute to the training and research capacity-building mission of the COBRE.

The IRC training services and resources provide comprehensive learning about and application of state-of- the-science implementation theories, frameworks and methodologies that address current priority areas in the field, namely achieving the highest level of health attainment for all, adaptation and sustainability. The systematic application of the three proposed implementation frameworks, with associated methods and measurement approaches, across each COBRE Research Project Leader's project will produce cumulative findings to advance scientific understanding for maximizing effectiveness and optimizing implementation of the on-going interventions in later-stage research.

The cumulative and harmonized quantitative and qualitative data collected from the COBRE's Research Project Leaders will seed a strong foundation for creation of a research synthesis repository and development of an implementation science learning community institutionally and across the IDeAs network. This harmonization of implementation framework approach and measurement fosters cross-disciplinary dialogues, promote insights into generalizability and scalability of the diverse project interventions, and guide directions to promote achieving the highest level of health attainment for all.

Contact the IRC

 

IRC Team